We found our provider & birthing center!

I am so excited!! We just went to a consultation at a birthing center and we absolutely fell in love with the facility and the staff. We scheduled our first appointment, which is a huge relief as I have been feeling anxious about not having had any prenatal care. They have two birthing rooms at the birthing center. The main room is absolutely beautiful with a huge birthing tub and bed. The second room is also nice but comes with a portable birthing tub rather than a built in one (apparently they don't use this room as much but they have been getting busier so the chance of two mommies going into labor at once is higher). All things going well, we hope to do a water birth in the large tub. Obviously if there are any major complications we will have to do a more traditional birth, but I am really excited to be on this path. All of their values and beliefs regarding child birth were right on par with ours and they were so patient and willing to answer any and all questions that we had. I also love that you get half hour appointments with your midwife at each visit to ask questions/discuss concerns. They explained their philosophy on not cutting the cord right away and letting mommy and baby bond for several hours. It was just wonderful! We are still waiting to hear back on some insurance options but we feel pretty confident that we will figure something out. I am getting more and more excited each day and this really took a huge weight off my shoulders. I could tell that both James and I both felt really at ease and excited before we left the facility and talked about it and it makes me feel good to know we both felt so sure about this decision.

School started Monday, and as I predicted, I am finding it impossible to concentrate. During my first lecture I found myself repeatedly zoning out (thinking about baby-related topics, of course!) and having to force myself to listen to my professor! Hopefully I can get my butt back in gear and finish my last semester! Speaking of class, that is where I am off to now....our first appointment is on September 12th!

xo

We spilled the beans!

Today we officially "spilled the beans" via social media. It feels good to finally be able to talk about it and tell people! It was so fun to hear everyone's reaction and we got a lot of love and support. We sent out our mail announcements early in the week but apparently people don't check their snail mail on a daily basis because most people didn't get it until today! Oops!  Today marks 11 weeks! They say that first time mommies don't show until around week 20, but I can definitely see a big difference in my belly....check out the difference between week 6 and 11! Okay, so I ate a big dinner before this most recent picture, but there is definitely a belly going on there!

James sent me this cute note that he got from Grammy Lind when baby was the size of a grape....

Week 10!!!

Wow, so much has happened since our last post - week 10 already?!? Really?!?! We've gone from a kidney bean to a grape to a kumquat... although I have a feeling our baby is an overachiever and is probably closer to a lime... Seems strange to associate your baby with things you eat - but I digress.

We wanted to share the latest in our video announcements so here are...

Nana Barbie, Auntie Angie and Cassie and the little ones Kylie and Logan

Uncle Anthony and Auntie Maggie

 And Grammy Lind and Papa Sam

Such fun!!! Such wonderful reactions. We're so blessed to have such an amazing support system and the love of family.

It's starting to kick in and feel much more real now. I've even got a Fathers To Be book (thanks Ant), so you know it's official now! I'm so excited and can't wait to meet our little one.

How about some irony? I'm worried that I'm not worried. Seriously - I feel as though God has blessed me with this otherworldly peace that could only be explained as supernatural, or by design. I know that I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm not freaking out about it like I normally would be. Praise God... Jehovah-Shalom.

We got to go on a fun little photo shoot today at the beach and will be mailing these guys out to family soon:

Here's another that didn't quite make the cut:

Really enjoying this whole process so far and can't describe in words how excited I am (granted I'm not dealing with the queasiness and exhaustion like the lady). Although... I have been dealing with Couvade Syndrome - look it up :)

Colorado Family Reveal!

I am writing from my mama's house in Colorado. We got in five days ago (where did the time go?!), but we just shared our big news last night. As per usual, we are up at nearly one in the morning. We went with the "family photo surprise" again, and we have another funny video to share. Although, this one didn't come quite as easily. I have been dying to tell them since the moment they picked us up from the airport, and James and I were having difficulty keeping our secret. So, a couple nights in, I attempted to round the family up for a photo... I should have known better. I couldn't bribe or guilt my mama into taking a photo (in all fairness, she was in her bathrobe!), so we had two wait two more days! Imagine my nerves! So, the moment finally came and I got all of my family members to agree to be in a photo (only the 2nd try, woo hoo!) James and I had rehearsed this a few times, and he had asked me several times prior to the big reveal what exactly he was "supposed" to say. Well, he counted to three and then, in a rather somber tone, he said "James and Ashley are having a baby." LOL. No "on the count of three say...," no build up, just flat as can be, a statement of truth. It was hilariously anti-climatic (but adorable). He told me after that he was a nervous wreck and his hands were shaking the entire time. My mom and sister both said "what?" They were completely confused and it took a moment for them to realize what was happening. I was dying laughing at James' delivery and their delayed reactions. It was so nice to get it off our chests!!

 I was able to spend some time with my mama looking at baby stuff online and getting advice on various things. It was so nice, especially because we spend such little time together and I probably won't see her again until after the baby is born. I never realize just how much I miss my family until I see them again. We've been able to spend a lot of time with my baby sister, older sister, niece, and nephew as well, and I've loved every minute of it. It's strange because it has been about a year and a half since I've seen them and the kids seem so much older, but on the other hand it's as if no time has passed at all and we have just picked up right where we left off. I wish I could see them more frequently, and it's hard to miss so much of their lives. I'm especially grateful that although my baby sister is 13 now, she still wants to spend time with me and gives us daily hugs and kisses.

 It's so crazy to be bringing a new family member into the mix. It has always seemed like such as far off event. It still only feels real for about two seconds after telling someone and then it fades back to feeling like something that is happening to someone else. My baby sis says that once I have "the bump" it will feel more real; I'm sure she is right. It's hard to imagine how much our lives are about to change. All the plans I had set, the age I had imagined myself, goals we thought we would reach before embarking on this journey...so much to wrap our heads around. The joy and excitement is amazing and the rest is all the background noise that I am trying to process. My older sister gave me the quote "life is what happens when you are busy making plans," and she is completely right. We will make it work and figure out a new path with our little bundle of joy. I keep imagining who they will be and I still can't quite get over the fact that I am growing a tiny human inside of me right now. That is crazy! I love this baby so much already and I am trying to calm my nerves and quiet my many worries so that I can fully enjoy and absorb this crazy, miraculous experience of growing a baby.

Right after the reveal!

Craziness!

Where to begin! So much has happened since my last check in. How am I supposed to work with all this excitement going on! I just want to grab every person I pass throughout the day and tell them I'm going to be a daddy...but I restrain myself... I don't know if that would go over well anyways, even if it were allowed. 

We finally got to tell someone today though. We celebrated my birthday a day late with my mom and sister right after we dropped off Ashley's car. We invited them over to break the news before we headed out for lunch.... check out their reactions... priceless:

We got an amazing blessing from God last week by way of an unexpected payout from eSurance as part of our uninsured motorist coverage from Ashley's recent fender bender. Who couldn't use a little extra money when told a little one is on the way! He provides!!!

So we took a chunk of that and bought Ashley a nice little chair & 1/2 so that she can breastfeed our new little roommate comfortably. Take a look:

Nice ey? It was delivered tonight, right before we take off for Colorado to visit Ashley's family for a week+. Good timing!

Ashley has already finished her first book on being a vegan mommy - who coulda guessed that would have been top on the list?